The present invention relates to a weapon system, especially for a ship, and includes a rocket launcher and an ammunition compartment for storing rocket containers designed to accommodate at least one rocket.
Such systems are known in general. The stored rocket containers with the rockets are supplied to the rocket launcher, which fires the thus-loaded rockets. Subsequently, the empty rocket containers must again be removed or deposited, and new rocket containers filled with rockets must be supplied to the rocket launcher. Therefore, an ammunition storing system is required that is suitable for supplying the full rocket containers to the rocket launcher and again removing and storing the empty rocket containers. The number of rockets that can be supplied to the rocket launcher is a function of the design of the rocket launcher. Pursuant to one known design, the rocket launcher can, for example, accommodate two rocket containers, each containing six rockets.
One know rocket launcher that is mounted in a land vehicle is described in EP 1 186 848 A1. Also disclosed here is how the rocket container that is disposed on the ground behind the vehicle is taken up by a crane and supplied to the rocket launcher.
For weapon systems installed on ships, the external influences are always problematic. On the one hand, the systems must be protected against sea and weather conditions (salt water), and on the other hand large forces can act upon the mechanisms due to heavy seas and swells. For this reason the ammunition must be well protected and reliably stowed. At the same time, the space that is, available on the ship is limited.
It is an object of the present application to provide a weapon system that ensures a reliable storage of the ammunition while requiring little space.